Direction-indicator for automobiles.



I. MILLER & I. BELL.

DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-9,19%. 1,224,65R

Patemfigd Mayl L Rm ROMAN J". MILLER AND JOHN BELL, OF BREMERTON,WASHINGTON.

\ I DIRECTION-INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1917.

Application filed August 9, 1916 Serial No. 113,862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROMAN J. MILLER and JOHN BELL, citizens of theUnited States, and residents of Bremerton, in the county of Kitsap andState of Washington, have invented a new and ImprovedDirection-Indicator for Automobiles, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a safety signal for automobiles, of that typeknown as a direction indicator for giving a warning as to the directionof turning or the stoppage of an automobile to the drivers of otherautomobiles or to pedestrians, whereb accidents can be, avoided .and'thedriving 0 a car rendered safe and nervous strain and worry on thtidpa'rtof the driver minimized.

. ore particularly the invention relates to a direction indicator ofthat type including a pointing hand safety signal of that type in which,a hand isprojected from either or both sides of an automobile toindicate the direction in which the car is red lamp will be lighted toindicate that the car is standing, it being preferable to project theelements from both sides of the car so that two red lights will beobserved from in front and three red lights from the rear, the thirdlight being the tail lamp, so that when the car is stoppedin a darkplace, as

on a .country road, other drivers will be warned as to the exactposition of the stand: ing automobile and the clearance around the same.

granimatic view of a form of the device,

whereby green direction-indicating lamps are lighted, as in turning, orred lamps are lighted, as when the car is stopped; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sectional views respectively on the lines22 and 3-3, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the right and left indicating hands R and Lrespectively are connected with independent bars 2 and 2* and to each ofthese bars is attached a pair of solenoid cores l9 and 20, which lierespectively within the solenoids 21 and 22. The outermost solenoidsserve to project the hands, while the inner solenoids serve to retractthem. The solenoids whenenergized' act on their respective cores to movethe rods 2 or 2 longitudinally within the casing 1 in which thesolenoids are mounted. The solenoids are connected in circuit with asource of current 23, and the right solenoid 22 is controlled by apushbutton 24, and the left solenoid 22 is connected by a pushbutton 25.The inner solenoids 21 are controlled by a pushbutton 26.These'pushbuttons are mounted at any suitable point, as for instance,the steering column 5*. In the hands, or carried thereby, are green andred lamps 2? and 28. The green lamps are lighted for indicating thedirection in which the car is to be turned,'while the red lamps arelighted to indicate that the car is standing. For throwing the two setsof lamps into and out of circuit the bars 2 and 2 move outwardly to twodifferent positions. The first position is determined by means of ashoulder 29 on each bar engaging a stop 30 mounted in the casing 1. Whenthe bar moves outwardly to its first position, the green light and thehand on such bar will be lighted. If the catch 30 is released or movedout of the path of the shoulder 29 when the pushbutton is pressed, thehand will move outwardly to its full extent and thereby causethe redlamp to be lighted. As shown in Fig. *5, each bar will have two sets ofconductors 31, 31, 32, 3H? for the lamps 27, 28, respectively, and thesecon-- doctors or wires connect with contacts 33, 33, 34,, 845,respectively, mounted in the surface of each hand-carrying rod andinsulatcd therefrom. These contacts are connccted with an outsidecircuit through spring-pressed contacts 35, 36, 36 mounted in the casingl, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The contacts 35, and 36, 56 areofiset from each other a short distance, and they are so related to thestops 30 that when the stops are in norniai position, the contacts 35and 35 will. engage the contacts 33 and 33, but when the catches arereleased, the contacts 34 and 3 9 will more into engagement with thecontacts 36 and 36. For the purpose of illustration, the contacts 35, 35and 36, 86 shown connected. with separate sources of current in Figffz,but the circuit connection may be any desired character.

lt'will he understood. that when the car is to be turned to the right,the upper pushoutton 2 -will be pressed and the light indicator will bemoved outwardly to indicating position. After the turn is made thepushbutton 2,6 is pressed so as to retract the hand. l When the car isto be turned to the left the pushhutton 25 is pressed thereby turn thehit indicating hand L to the lel't. ter the "n is made the centersushbuttnn is pressed to retract the left hand and indicater, lien thecar is he stopped at night hoth l a projected to t eir full ere tent,accomplished by releasing the size l pressing both. pushhuttous E24: andV "l display two red lights, one at each e or he to thereby give thespec ied by the car, whereby the r cars will he guided in passdriversiug ar no stopped car, W hen a proachcc n front, two red lights will heol ached from in rear,

will he cbservehl, since the tail light will also be seen.

From the foregoing descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanyingdrawine's, the advantages of the construction and method of operation Wbe readily understood by those skilled in one art to which the inventionWhile we have ded the principle of operation, together nth the devicewhich new con lder to be the host liment thereof, We desiri have itunderstood that the device shown is an indicator of the class described,said indicator comprising signals projectahlc from opposite sides, guidemeans for the signals, electrical means for projecting the signalsindependently and with a two-step move- :-rnent, a lamp associated witheach sig al and adapted to he automatically connected in circuit when.one step is completed, means for stopping the signal at the end of itsstop and releasable to permit the signal to move another st i, and anadditional lamp associated with the signal and adapted to beautomatically connected in circuit when the second step is completed.

2, The coui ination of an automobile, with a direction indicatorcomprising SiS'IlillS movable in opposite directions beyond the of theautomobile, a guide for the sigseparate electrical devices for movingthe signals to different distances outwardly, a lamp associated witheach signal and adapted to be lighted. automatically when the latter ismoved the first distance, another laino associated with each signal andadapttc be lighted when the latter is moved its full distance outwardly,circuit closers for the separate electrical means.

o, The combination of an automobile, with a direction indicatorcomprising signals inovahle in opposite directions beyond the theautomobile, a guide for the sig separate electrical devices for movinggnals dilierent distances outwardly, associated witl each signal and tedto be lighted automatically when t i A atter moved the first distance,another lamp associated with each signal. and adapted be lighted whenthe latter is moved its 1 i l distance, circuit closers for the separateelectrical means, and a catch normally set for arresting the outward.movement of the signals and adapted to he released. to perinit the si'nals to be moved their full distance.

ROMAN J. MILLER.

JOHN BELL.

. the presence

